Ken Blackwell -- one of two African-American candidates for party chairman -- agreed with Saltsman's assessment, defending him in a weekend statement.

"Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race," said Blackwell -- who, if elected, would be the first black chairman of the RNC. "This is in large measure due to President-elect Obama being the first African-American elected president. (CNN)

Is it "satire"? Sure.

Does Saltsman have a "right" to distribute this? Of course he does

But it is without a doubt racist, offensive, and divisive. Just what the Republicans want in their leader, eh?

I will not post the song here,in fact YouTube has pulled their video, but if you want to listen yourself, you can find a link here

Tell me what you think in this poll. And leave a comment here on the blog.

Since I put my keys on the same end table every night, and pick them up there every morning...and my wife moves them during weekend clean-up....why does she anwer "they're right where they should be" when I can't find them after she moved them? Shouldn't they be where I always leave them???

Timing is everthing. Watched my Christmas budget very carefully. Didn't purchase a final "big" gift until the last day, when I was sure I had enough Christmas cash to do so. December 27th my brakes go bad and have to be replaced!

December 24, 2008

Stores and even the bars close for a while. Turn off their lights. The holiday hustle and bustle 'till now is tuned down. Shopping undone by nightfall will stay that way.

Outdoor lights shine in the night and inside our trees are glowing with a holiday twinkle. Church for many. Carols. Candles. And a manger. For other just the peace and silence.

I love the quiet. In that beat between breaths,the burdens of life slip away. No matter what your personal faith, it's almost impossible not to hear the voice of.....something....whispering in the wind: "Everything will be alright.". For Christians, we acknowledge the arrival of the Light of the world and Saviour of our soul.

It is a night of tremendous excitement, power, glory all settled into the pedestrian scene of a straw-covered manger. What is important happens unseen.

December 23, 2008

I've been critical of many on the right for not "getting" the reality that President-elect Obama is going to govern in a "post partisan" way. That the American public has gotten tired of--and moved beyond--the gotcha' governing and politics of the past decade.

But my colleagues on the left need to learn the same lesson.

Barney Frank this week was criticizing Obama for the Rick Warren choice--with the argument that it won't win Obama any point with "the right.

"But my one question is, I think he overestimates his ability to take people, particularly our colleagues on the right, and, sort of, charm them into being nice," Frank said. "I know he talks about being post-partisan. But I've worked, frankly, with Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay, the current Republican leadership. The current Republican leadership in the House repudiated George Bush. I don't know why Mr. Obama thinks he's going to have them better than George Bush.

"And so, to be honest, when he talks about being post-partisan, having seen these people and knowing what they would do in that situation, I suffer from post-partisan depression," Frank said jokingly.(The Hill)

But Obama didn't ask Warren to the inaugural to win points with the right. He did it because Warren is a popular and powerful religious leader with strong Christian beliefs who has taken his preaching into practice.

He didn't do it to gain stature with the right, he did it because it was right.

December 16, 2008

I'm perfectly content to let the Christian holiday share equal footing footing with the secular Christmas (Santa and The Baby Jesus can co-exist). But I can't understand why more Americans aren't attending church as part of that combined celebration.

Looking for nice last minute gift. Make a contribution to Catholic Charities in the name of a friend and that friend can help direct how the contribution is directed. Angie Zambito was a guest. You can find outmore at catholiccharitieswv.org.

Channel 9 repots that former Congressman Bob Ney has been given his passport back. His current boss, Ellen Ratner, told us what she thinks.

The President of the US is physically attacked on foreign soil. Sure, it was just a shoe, and GWB handled it extremely well. Most political pundits seem to be giving the President high marks for being deft in his duck and his (re)cover. It's being given the light hearted treatment and then move on.

I guess all's well that end's well.

But I wonder what would have happened to an American citizen on American soil--say a liberal protestor who was venting his frustration over 8 long years of an administration who ran roughshod over the constituion and civil liberties, engaged us in a fruitless and useless war-without-end.

December 15, 2008

The "creature" was a 7'7" guy in a silly silver suit, but to me, he was the eptiome of what could come from outer space. When his visor opened and the lights flowed back-and-forth in preparation for their death beams, I held my breath. And when his "master", Klaatu, told Earth it had to clean up its act, work together for peace, I believed him.

It was, to me, one of the greatest science fiction movies of its generation, "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

Then they re-made it ---with Keannu Reeves, for heaven's sake! The new version? Number One this weekend at the box office. And I suppose a new generation will love the super-duper special effects, the blowing up of Giants stadium, the hi-tech music that heightens the suspense.

And I suppose the new generation will laugh when they see this trailer from 1951.